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IIHF president Rene Fasel is optimistic NHLers will be part of the Sochi Olympics in 2014.

But it's a cautious optimism because of the NHL lockout. Participation in the Olympics is not a sure thing, even though the players want to be there.

"I stay optimistic about Sochi 2014, but as we know the NHL and their players' association are in negotiations and before they have reached a new bargaining agreement we will not be able to say much about their participation," Fasel said during the IIHF Congress Tuesday in Tokyo. "But we know that the players want to play."

NHL owners don't like the idea because players could get hurt and the league needs to be shut down for a couple of weeks. It could be a negotiating point during CBA talks.